The invention relates to a data storage unit comprising a housing, an information disc which is centrically rotatable about an axis of rotation, an electrical drive unit for driving the information disc, which drive unit comprises a stator and a rotor which is rotatable about a rotor axis. The rotor axis being oriented in the same direction as the axis of rotation. The data storage unit further including a bearing for supporting the information disc and the rotor relative to the housing, and a scanning unit for cooperation with the information disc.
Such a unit is known as a magnetic recording apparatus from JP-A 55-52556 (herewith incorporated by reference). The known apparatus has a bulky housing made up of a large number of parts, whose width increases in steps viewed from the top to the bottom. The housing accommodates an electric motor having an outgoing motor shaft carrying a magnetic recording disc extending underneath the motor. The long motor shaft has two ends supported in spherical bearings. A drawback of the known apparatus is its bulkiness, which is dictated mainly by the large axial dimension of the housing, as a result of which the apparatus is not suitable for use in many modern storage systems. Moreover, the known apparatus is difficult to miniaturize.